Adjustable wing, plane, or blade of aeroplanes, helicopters, propellers, or the like



Sept. 3, 1935. R. CHILLINGWORTH ,0

ADJUSTABLE WING, PLANE OR BLADE OF AEROPLANES,

HELICOPTERS, PROPELLEHS OR THE LIKE Filed Sept. 10, 1950 Patented Sept. 3, 1935 UNITED STATES.

PATENT OFFICE ADJUSTABLE wmo, PLANE, on nmnn or AEROPLANES, nnuoor'rsas, mornmnns, on 'rnr: LIKE Rudolph Chillingworth, Brooklyn, N. Y. Application September Ill, 1930, Serial No. 480,969 18' Claims. (Cl. 170-164) ily adjusted to proper position.

According tothe present invention the wing,

plane or blade is disposed or mounted at an angle,

preferably of 45, with respect to the axis around which it may be or is adjusted, so that the ends of the front and rear edges of the wing or the --1ike farthest away from the said axis traverse different distances for the same angle of rotation, with the result that when the wing or the like is adjusted, the remote end of one of the said edges will move more quickly than the remote end of the other edge, the angle of pitch from the axis towards the tip of the wing or the like thus being increased as the latter is turned from its horizontal position downwards or upwards.

It will thus be seen that, according to the present invention, a change of pitch is automatically .secured by the movement of the wings, blades, or the like.

The invention also consists in the combination of wings, blades or the like, having an axis around which the wing or the like is adjusted at an angle of preferably and the fuselage of the aeroplane or shaft of the helicopter.

In the present invention the axes about which the blades, planes or wings are adjusted form the sides of an angular figure having an even or odd number of sides, in the case of the .angle being 45, said figure being a square.

'This' arrangement has the advantage that a very light and rigid blade-supporting structure is produced and it is possible to arrange the axes about which the blades, wings or planes are adjusted at any convenient distance from the centre of rotation of the helicopter screw or propeller without materially increasing the weight. Furthermore, the construction according to the present invention enables any desired number of blades, planes or wings to be fitted.

Another feature of the invention consists in this that the blades, planes or wings extend outwardly only from their axes of adjustment so as to omit material from the wings, planes or blades in the region of the centre of the lifting screw or propeller, where the blades are less eil'ective and utilize only material, which is outside this region, where-itis more effective. By utilizing the increased emciency of the wings, planes, or blades towards their periphery, there is a gain in thrust, and on the other hand joined claims.

an unobstructed passage through the centre of the lifting screw or propeller is left which reduces head resistance.

Embodiments of my invention will be described hereinafter, shown in the accompanying draw- 5 ing, and subsequently pointed-out in the sub- The invention is illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawing, in-which Figure-1 is' a' plan view of a wing or blade in' accordancewith the invention;

Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic longitudinal elevation showing three diflferent positions 'of' the blade;

Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic end elevation corresponding to Fig. 2; f Fig. 4 illustrates the circles-through which the remote edges of the blade move when the blade is tumedabout lts axis;

Fig. 5 is a plan view of a flying craft having the wings mounted in accordance with the invention; 90

Fig. 6 is a front elevation of Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a part plan view of a helicopter having the blades in accordance with the invention, pivoted on a radial axis;

Fig. 8 is a part plan view of a ing the blades in accordance with the invention, pivoted to axes, forming a square or a square frame of axes, and

Fig. 9 is a part plan of the boat part of an aircraft, which is illustrated as disposed interme- 30 diate the rotatable shaft with blades, such as shown in Fig. 7, or Fig. 8, thereby constituting a helicopter arrangement.

Similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views.

Referring to Figures 1 to 4,- the blade or plane a is disposed or mounted with its major axis at an angle 0 with respect to the axis b b about which it is moved or'adJusted, the said angle 0 being preferably 45. In other words, the longitudinal axis of the blade and the axis of rotation are at substantially 45 to each other. By this means the end of the front and rear edges 0, d of the blade farthest away or most remote from the axis b b traverse different distances for the 45 same angle of rotation of the blade around the axis b b Thus a small movement of the blade around its axis b b will cause the end 0 of; larger radial distance to move more quickly than the end a of smaller radial distance. The angle of pitch from the axis b b to the tip c d of the' wing or blade is increased as the wing or blade isturned from its horizontal position downwards or upwards, the increase depending on the amount of downward or upward movement of helicopter hav- 25 v the blade, that is, upon the extent of movement of the blade. This action will be clearly understood by reference to the diagram in Figure 4, which shows that the ends 0 and d are revolved about circles of different radii during the rotation of the blade about the axis b b. The line b b is the normal line, and b c is the radial line of the circle 0 c c; b b is the radial lineof the side of the normal or median line, 0 would again supported by the fuselage 5 of the machine.

advance over d. Figure 3 shows the end view of the blades shown in Fig. 2.

In the flying craft shown in Figures 5 and 6, the wings I are pivoted on the'inclined axis 2 In this embodiment, the spindles 2 of the blades l are connected together at one end and supported at a point 6 near the front of the machine,

the other ends of the spindles being connected together by means of a spar I which is secured to the body 5 of the machine in any suitable manner. The wings I when turned through 90 from the position shown in Figure 5 in full lines, will occupy the dotted line position, in which the wings lie close to the body of. the machine. When the wings occupy the dotted line position the machine can readily be housed in a hangar of small dimensions. It will thus be seen that for instance in the case of an aeroplane, the wings can then,'if desired, be turned by a rotation through 90 from a horizontal position at right angles to the fuselage to a horizontal position parallel and close thereto. The spar 1, if desired, can be arranged so as to act as a support for the wings when the latter have been moved into the dotted line position.

For the purpose of enabling the wings to be turned about the axis 2, in the embodiment shown, struts 8, preferably of tubular shape, are pivoted at one end 9 to the wings and at the other end ill to a collar 1 l or the like,which is slidable on a vertical column, II, for the purpose of varying the angle of incidence of wings planes or blades displacement of the said collar ll being effected. by any suitable means. The important requirement is that no matter what means are used, any movement of the wings around their axes 2, bring about the change of angle of in- 1 ing or lowering of the blade in its entirety.

Members 8 are of course made disconnectible on one or both ends to permit this folding of the wings when the machine is on the ground and about to be housed in a narrow building such as a garage, for instance.

In the embodiment of a helicopter, as for instance, where the boat shown in Fig. 9 has dis-' posed at each side thereof, screws 20 and 2|, the mounting of the blades in Fig. 9 differs somewhat in detail from that of Fig. I, but the mode of operation is the same in both cases, the blades being mounted at an angle of 45 with respect to the major axes round which they are adjusted.

The blades [3 of the screws can be adjusted in any suitable manner, for instance, by means of the adjusting members 14 similar to 8 which may be connected to a common vertical sliding member i5 similarly constructed to the collar H of Figure 6. The boat is shown by 22 and this has at each side thereof, the set of adjustable blades, such as shown either in Fig. 7 or Fig. 8. each set *the p rotating around its vertical axis. Preferably the helicopter screw or propeller has the blades, planes, or the like, mounted with their axes arranged to form a square, as shown in Fig. 8, or any other angular figure, which latter is con-' nected with the spider arms of a hub upon the helicopter screw shaft or propeller shaft. Iri Fig. 7 the axes are radial to the screw shaft.

One and the same controlling means may be used for adjusting all the wings or the like simultaneously or separate means may be employed for adjusting them separately.

It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to four bladed helicopters or propeller screws; it may be desirable to use one or two employed will depend on the size of the helicopter or propeller screws and the variation in the pitch which it is'desired to produce. The square frame of the axes will be changed to the desired polygonal axis frame for the blades and the like, corresponding to the number of the blades of the screw-in question. Also the square frame of axis could-be fixed smaller or larger, as it is required or desirable.

The invention, which is especially useful in connection with the flying of aeroplanes or any aircraft, propellers and with helicopters, mayalso be advantageously applied to any kind of air or water propellers or to windmills, owingto the great ease with, and wide range over, which h of the blades or wings can be altered.

I ave described my invention as applied to various embodiments but I do not desire to be and at an angle of substantially 45 to the longitudinal axis thereof, and a support for said axis element forming a center of rotation for said blade,=the blade and axis element being so arranged with respect to the support that the lon-. gitudinal axis of the blade regardless of the position of-angular adjustment of the blade lies in a plane wholly at one side of the center of rotation.v

2. Ablade of the character described, having at one end thereof an axis element around which the blade is adjustable, which axis element extends in transverse oblique relation to the blade and at an angle of substantially 45 to the iongitudinal axis thereof, a support for said axis element disposed at one end thereof, the longitudinal axis of the blade regardless of the adjusted position of theblade on the axis element lying in a plane wholly at one side of the support, and means connected with the blade for adjusting the same on the axis element.

3. A blade propeller or the like having, in combination, with successive blades, a common center about which the blades turn, together with individual axis elements about which the blades are adjustable, each of which extends in transverse oblique relation to the longitudinal axis of its blade, to provide for variation in the angle and means for limiting the upward movement of of incidence of the blade, each of the blades being so disposed that its longitudinal axis lies in a plane wholly to one side of the common center,

.and the individual axis elements of the several blades forming the sides of an angular figure.

4. A blade according to claim 1, in which the ends of the front and rear edges of the blade remote from the axis element are situated at difierent radial distances from the axis element about which the blade is adjusted, so that on ad-" justment being effected, the said ends will move at 'diiferent circumferential speeds.

5; A blade according to claim 1, in which th support is secured to the shaft of a helicopter screw propeller.

6. An adjustable helicopter screw having a plurality of elongated blades, bearings for the blades and by means of which the blades adjacent their inner ends are mounted for adjustment for the purpose of varying the angle of incidence of the blades, each blade being mounted with its longitudinal axis at an angle tothe axis of the bearing around which it is adjusted, the axes of the bearings being connected to form an angular figure supporting the blades for rotation, with each bearing axis forming a side of the angular figure and having its blade mounted thereto with the longitudinal axis of the blade at an angle to such side and means for limiting the upward swing of the blades. I

7. A blade of rectangular form in plan, having a main axis supporting an axis element whereon the blade is mounted adjacentits inner end, said, element extending in a transverse oblique relation across the breadth of the blade,to

provide between one outer extremity of the'biade and said element a greater di time than between v the opposite outer extremity of the blade and said element, so as to produce bkthe swinging of the blade on said'element the delineation by the two outer extremities of two diilerent. arcs the.

curvatures of which at onepoint are'tangent to a common line parallel to a line drawn between said outer extremities, with the longitudinal axis of the blade lying in a plane wholly at one side of said main axis and means for limiting the tipward swing of the blade.

8. In combination, a blade of ecta'n'gular form in plan, a main axis, an axis ement whereon the blade is mounted by a bearing adjacent its inner end, supported on the main axis in fixed relation thereto, said element extending in a transverse oblique direction across the breadth of the blade and providing between one outer ex-' tremity of the blade and said element a greater distance than between the opposite outer extremity of the blade and said element so as to produce by the swinging of the blade on said element and means for limiting the upward movement of said blade, the delineation by the two outer extremities of two differentarcs the curvatures of which at one point are tangent to a common line parallel to a line drawn between said outer extremities, said element being at an angle of to the longitudinal axis of the blade and said common line between said outer extremities being at an angle of 90 to the longitudinal. axis of the blade, and wlth'said longitudinal axislying in a plane wholly at one side of said main axis.

9. An adjustable helicopter screw as claimed in claim 6, characterized by the feature that the blades extend outwardly only from their axes of adjustment which form an open frame, which is secured to the spiders of a hub leaving an unobstructedv Passage throughthe center of the screw ing an axis element, a bearing in which the axis element is disposed, said bearing being attached in a transverse oblique direction across the blade and remote from the outer. extremities of the blade and affording for the blade a pivotal support to permit swinging of the blade to different positions which are always in angular relation to one another, one outer extremity of the blade extending a greater distance from the bearing than the other outer extremity of the blade, so as to produce by the swinging of the blade on said element the delineation by the two outer extremities of two different arcs the curvatures of which at one'point are tangent to a line drawn between said outer, extremities.

11. An'adjustable helicopter screw or propeller or the like, comprising a plurality of rectangular blades each having a major axis inherent in its outline, a main axis, an open frame supported thereby as about a hub center and consisting of angularly related, sides corresponding in number with the number of blades, which sides aiford supporting axes forthe blades, and means pivotally connecting each blade near its inner end to its supporting axis, with" each supporting axis extending in a transverse oblique direction across the width of the blade and withrespect to the major axis of its supported bladefand the major blades and a "supportinglangular structure of which the sides formaxes which are connected to a frame-with spiders and a hub, mounted to rotate with the main axis; means for mounting the wings or blades, each pivotally with its major axis-with its one end at an angle to one axis of the said frame and each cooperating with one of the said axes, the said axes extending in a transverse oblique directionacross each of the wings or'blades, means to cause the wings or blades to be'adjusted about its axes for the purpose of varying the angle of incidence of the wings or blades.-

13. In an adiustable helicopter screw or propeller, a screwblade, an axis for said blade, and by meansthe screwblade obliquely pivoted with said axes in cooperation with the said blade, each part mounted. in horizontal plane; a plurality of the said axes, forming the sides of ,an angular structure to an open frame providing axes, around which the wings or blades are adjustable, said axes extending in a transverse oblique direction across the longiudinal axes of said wing or blade at an angle for pitch adjustment and said adjustment being effected by means producing an axial movement of the wings or blades upwards or downwards from its horizontal plane while in rotary motion.

14. An adjustable helicopter screw or propeller, comprising a plurality of wings, planes or blades and a supporting angular structure iormed by a plurality of axes to an open frame for the necessary or desired number of wings or blades for the helicopter screw or propeller screw; means to connect the wings ori blades obliquely with its maJor axes at an angle, each to one of the said axes of adjustment, the said axes extends in a transverse oblique direction across the iongitudinal axes of said wings or blades at an angle for pitch adjustment, each of the adjustment axes form one side of the said'structural frame, leaving an unobstructed 'passage of air plane.

- 16. An adjustable helicopter screw or propeller having the blades, planes or wings mounted with their major axes at an angle with respect to the axis around which they are adjusted, characterized by the ieature that the=axes about which the blades, planes or wings are adjusted form the sides of an angular figure having a plurality of sides,in the case or the said angle being 45 degrees said figure being a square.

17. A propeller or helicopter screw having an axis of rotation, and a plurality of blades, each of said blades being mounted onan axis which is positioned at any angle to the longitudinal axis of the blade and around which the blade may be rotatably moved for pitch adjustment,-each oi said longitudinal blade axes also being adapted to be inclined at an angle less than 180 degrees to the said axis of an oppositely disposed blade. 18. A propeller or helicoper screw having an axis of rotation, anda plurality of blades, each of said blades being mounted on a pitch adjustment axis between its rotation axis and its outer end, said axis of rotation being in a different plane than any including either oi. said blade,axes. I RUDOLPH CIm-HNGWOR'I'H. 

